The invention relates to cartons for packaging a plurality of articles such as cans or bottles for example. More particularly it relates to cartons and divider panels used for packaging two or more layers, or tiers, of articles.
It is known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,246,113 (Schuster) to provide a carton for a double layer of articles wherein superposed articles are stacked end to end. Schuster also discloses the use of a dividing panel between the ends of the stacked articles. Two types of divider panels are disclosed which both comprise a substantially planar, rectangular piece of paperboard. In one embodiment the panel comprises deformable portions which cup the ends of the stacked articles, and in both embodiments the panels comprise an end tab used to position the panel adjacent a first layer of articles prior to pushing an upper layer of articles over the divider panel into position above the lower layer of articles.
The invention seeks to avoid or at least mitigate various problems of the prior art. According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a divider panel for separating stacked articles in a packaged carton having two or more tiers of articles where the panel comprises deformable means which is adapted operably to nest between stacked articles on adjacent sides of the panel.
Preferably the deformable means comprises a region of the divider panel surrounding an aperture having diameter less than the diameter of a rim at the end of an article with which the deformable portion operably nests.
The deformable means can be deformable by means of pressure applied by nested articles or emulation means to effect deformation prior to packaging in a carton such as a wraparound carton. The deformable means can be defined by an outer fold line, which can comprise a series of cuts. The series of cuts can form a circle, or can be substantially parallel to an inner edge of the deformable means. The outer cut can be discontinuous thereby to create one or more hinges. One or more ends of one or more of said cuts can be turned inwardly. The deformable portion can comprise an annular region defined by inner and outer cuts. The annular region can be continuous.
The deformable means can comprise a series of tabs, which can be defined in part by radial cuts.
The divider panel can comprise means to enable the panel to be conveyed in a fixed relative position with respect to an end of a first article in a tier of articles.
Indeed another aspect of the invention provides a divider panel for separating stacked articles in a carton having two or more tiers of articles wherein the panel comprises means to enable the panel to be conveyed in a fixed relative position with respect to a first tier of articles.
The conveying means can comprise means for cooperating with an external conveyor, which cooperating means can comprise a recess or aperture in the panel.
The panel can comprise means for cooperating with articles in the first tier thereby to help maintain their relative positions. The means can also comprise locking tabs which operably abut or engage parts of the articles in the first tier. The locking tabs can be hingably connected to the divider panel and are operably folded away from the divider panel thereby to engage the first tier of articles.
The divider panel can further comprise means at the ends of the panel to enable a continuous series of panels to be processed due to cooperation by said end means with means for effecting folding of said locking tab for example.
The end means can comprise a recess at one end of the divider panel.
A further aspect of the invention provides a carton comprising two or more tiers of stacked articles wherein each tier is separated from an adjacent tier by a divider panel according to other aspects of the invention.
A yet further aspect of the invention provides a blank for forming a carton according to another aspect of the invention.